


Just a Placeholder

by imaginethat57



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, for emotional abuse, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 01:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13225053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginethat57/pseuds/imaginethat57
Summary: Cat's mother is holding a weekend long birthday bash for herself, and she expects Cat to come. She also expects Cat to bring a date, which leaves her in a bit of a bind. Lucky for her, she has a friend who is willing to lend a helping hand in Kara.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greenfanfic304](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenfanfic304/gifts).



> This was the grand prize in my Holiday Fanfiction giveaway.

Cat rubbed at her temples, feeling a tension headache beginning to emerge. Her mother’s voice droned on from the speaker of her phone, and Cat so longed to just hang up on her and silence her snide, disapproving tone. She needed a glass of scotch. Or maybe M&Ms. Either way, she was reaching her breaking point for how much of her mother she could tolerate.

“Mother. I need to get back to work. Please, can’t we discuss this later.” Cat said, trying to control the hard edge of her voice; she knew it would just cause her more grief.

“Oh, I’m sorry Kitty. I didn’t realize your work was  _ so  _ important. More important than your mother and her  _ seventieth _ birthday.” Her mother replied, with her patented brand emotional manipulation- no fake sorrow, just seething and searing condemnation in every word. Heavy emphasis was placed on deriding Cat at every turn, and doing so in a way that made her mother seem the victim.

Cat squeezed her eyes shut. “Of course not, Mother.”

“Good. After everything I’ve done for you, Kitty, you’d think you’d be a little more grateful.” The severity of her tone had passed, but she never let up on the manipulation. “Oh, and do bring someone this time, Kitty. I’m tired of explaining to all my friends why you’re still single.”

“Right.” Cat said, barely just reining in her aggravation. At this point she didn’t care, whatever it took to get her mother off the phone.

“And make sure my grandson is dressed appropriately this time. None of those blue jeans. I expect a sport coat and a tie. The poor boy should know how to dress himself before he grows up looking like he had a fashion imbecile for a mother.” Katherine said.

Cat decided to sidestep the nasty insult, and focused on the part about Carter’s presence. “Mother, Carter won’t be able to attend. He’s in San Diego with his father until next week. I told you this. Twice.”

“Well, why did you schedule his trip at the same time as my birthday party? That was thoughtless, Kitty.” 

“I have also told you that Carter’s father and I arranged this visit over a month ago, and you only decided to throw this party last week.” Cat reminded her mother of what she was sure she already knew, and was only insisting on being difficult about because it was what drove her, she got a sick joy out of it.

Katherine let out a very dramatic and put upon sigh, but said, “Very well. I’ll expect you to arrive by noon tomorrow.  _ Try  _ not to be late.” Her mother hung up with one last parting dig.

“I am  _ never _ late and you know it, you witch.” Cat hissed into the phone once she was sure her mother had disconnected. She resumed rubbing her temples, and reached for the intercom button on her desk. “Miss Tessmacher, I need advil and a cheeseburger. Now.”

She didn’t leave the intercom on long enough to hear her assistant’s response. She just picked up another stack of paperwork and tried to ignore the now pounding ache in her head. She managed to read exactly one line of text before she heard her door opening. She looked up expecting to see Eve with the advil she had asked for, but instead she saw Kara Danvers standing before her. She held a bottle of the aforementioned pills, and a bag of food that, judging by the smell, must have contained the cheeseburger as well.

“You’re not my assistant anymore, Kara.” Cat said and she eyed the woman curiously.

“No. But I am your friend.” Kara replied with her ever easy smile.

“And how could you have known that I would need a fr-” Cat cut herself off, and cleared her throat. She had no desire to admit to needing anyone, so she quickly finished her sentence with, “a cheeseburger. Unless you were eavesdropping?”

“No, I wasn’t. I saw the look on your face from outside your office. I may not be your assistant anymore, but I was for a long time. You just hung up with your mother, didn’t you?” Kara said as she walked over to the little wet bar Cat had in her office, and grabbed a bottle of water. She opened it, handed it to Cat, and extended her the bottle of advil as well.

Cat accepted gratefully, and swallowed a pill. Once she had, she turned her gaze to the bag Kara had set down on her coffee table before. “Is that from Kendrick’s?”

“Of course.” Kara replied, and she went to sit on the couch, then opened up the bag and pulled out its contents- not one, but two cheeseburgers. “They make the best gourmet burgers in town. Besides, I know you.”

Kara just kept smiling in her disarming way, and Cat found her own grin quirking up. A rare occurrence after a phone call with her mother. She walked over to the couch and sat down as well. She could be offended at the presumptuous nature of Kara inviting herself to eat lunch with Cat, usually she’d never let an employee make such an assumption and do so so casually. But Kara had never been a regular employee anyway. So Cat made no comment, and instead picked up her own burger and unwrapped the paper around it. She took the first bite and instantly felt some of her tension melt away.

Kara munched happily next to her, and Cat found herself grateful for the company. As she was musing on how much she appreciated Kara’s silent and cheerful companionship in this moment, an idea struck her. She put her cheeseburger down on the unfolded paper wrapper it had come in, and twisted at the waist to face Kara directly.

“Kara.” 

The woman in question stopped with her half eaten cheeseburger halfway to her mouth and looked at Cat curiously, only slightly bemused when she saw the look in Cat’s eyes. She knew that look.

“Yeah?”

“You said you’re my friend.” Cat stated simply.

“Yes, of course.” Kara answered, her confusion growing a little.

“Then I would like to ask you for a favor, as a friend. Not your boss. Forget about our working relationship for the moment.” Cat continued.

“Okay?” Kara said.

“You were correct, that I was on the phone with my mother. She’s having a birthday celebration this weekend. She expects me to attend.” Cat began her explanation, and she watched Kara’s expression shift toward sympathy.

“Okay, so what do you need?” Kara asked, wiping her hands of the ketchup and melted cheese from her burger. Cat felt a little pleasant surge of warmth in her chest, she could always count on Kara to care. 

“A date. For the events. For the weekend.” Cat said, voice measured.

Kara sputtered a little bit, her cheeks flushing pink and Cat rushed to explain. “Or rather a fake date.”

“What? What’s a fake date?” Kara said, having found her words.

“I’m asking, if you would be willing to pretend to be with me for the weekend. My mother made a dig about not wanting to explain to her friends why I’m still single. Now, I could care less about what her heartless cronies think of me. But, it will make my life more difficult if I don’t just comply with her request.” Cat explained further.

She could have sworn for a second she saw something akin to disappointment in Kara’s eyes as she heard her, and Cat felt a clenching in her gut, wondering if she’d done something to offend Kara. Or perhaps if she’d tipped her hand.

“So you need someone to be like a placeholder?” Kara said, somewhat quietly, looking at her hands.

“I suppose you could say that. That and a buffer between me and my mother.” Cat admitted. She was definitely picking up on Kara’s disappointment now, and she added, “And a friend.”

Kara’s smile brightened a little. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“You don’t have to say yes if you don’t want to Kara.” Cat insisted, still thinking of Kara’s earlier reticence. 

“I do want to.” Kara said. And her sunny, joyful expression was back in place, but Cat couldn’t help but wonder if she was imagining the almost undetectable strained quality to it.

Cat couldn’t fathom why, why Kara would be so willing to jump into what was sure to be a nightmare of a weekend, but she decided not to push it any further and just be grateful. She took a deep breath, to try to soothe her fraying nerves.

“Alright, well, it will be the whole weekend. Friday afternoon, until Sunday afternoon. It will be numerous stuffy events where people talk about everyone else viciously behind their backs. Some of them will to your face, but they’re usually easier to deal with.” Cat said.

“Wow. Sounds like a bang up time.” Kara said, and Cat couldn’t help the quirk of a smile at Kara’s choice of expressions. 

“She’s arranged for a group of us to go wine tasting at that new vineyard that opened up outside the city on Saturday.” Cat continued. “At least there should be alcohol at all of her events.”

“Who throws a three day birthday party for themself?” Kara mused out loud.

Cat scoffed, and said dryly, “My mother.”

“Right.” Kara said, not too surprised after her interactions with the woman before. “Well, we’ll just have to make the most of it! Try and have at least some fun, you know?”

“I’ll repay you, somehow.” Cat said, and when Kara looked at her with a sharp gaze, she clarified, “Not in money. I already told you I’m not asking you to do this as your boss. I’ll think of something.”

Kara just chuckled, and patted Cat’s hand for a brief moment. “You don’t need to do anything. What are friends for? Right?”

Cat smirked a bit, and tried to ignore the slightly gnawing feeling that was settling into her gut. She was the one who asked for this, why was it tap dancing all over her nerves? She pushed the feeling aside, and picked up the remaining half of her burger to finish her lunch.


	2. Chapter Two

Kara watched Cat out of the side of her vision. She’d never seen Cat seem quite this fidgety before, even the previous times she’d seen Cat prepare to interact with her mother. Cat was adjusting and readjusting her outfit, smoothing over her skirt repeatedly, and fussing with her hair. 

“Try not to worry so much.” Kara said as they sat in the driveway to her mother’s rather large house. They’d been there for twenty minutes already and Cat had made no motion to get out of the car. Kara had wondered why they’d shown up so early. Now she understood.

“I’m not worried.” Cat huffed. 

Kara didn’t push the issue, instead she said, “Well of course not, you’ve got me and I am an excellent fake girlfriend buffer.”

“I didn’t realize that was a skill you’d had the opportunity to hone.” Cat quipped, and Kara hoped that the hint of levity she detected was genuine.

“No, but I’m an awesome real girlfriend. Why wouldn’t I be any good at being a fake one?” Kara replied, her mood eternally sunny. She turned her head towards Cat, and watched with curiosity as what seemed like surprise and something else, subtle, played across her face. She wasn’t sure, but it almost seemed like longing.

Cat was smirking at her again in a moment’s time, all trace of previous confliction gone. Cat just gave her a chuckle and said, “I see.”

But still, Kara wondered if she’d overstepped, and made Cat wish she had an actual partner to spend this weekend with.

At that thought, she felt her own gut twist a little. She was lonely too, she knew that longing in some ways. The difference between her and Cat was that the person Kara longed to share that romantic bond with was sitting in the car next to her and none the wiser. It was why it had felt like such a punch in the heart when Cat had explained that her purpose this weekend was at best just a friendly favor. 

It was a favor Kara was happy to do; she  _ was _ Cat’s friend. And that didn’t change just because of her surely unrequited feelings. She was just going to have to try to calm her twisting gut for the weekend, and hope they both came out the other side without bruised hearts.

Her own heart, she could do little about. But she could protect Cat from her mother as best as she could. She resolved quietly to herself that she’d be the best fake girlfriend there ever was, and that she’d do everything in her power to help Cat through this weekend unscathed.

After the twenty third minute of sitting in the car passed, Cat let out an indignant huff, and finally unbuckled her seatbelt. Kara said nothing, but followed suit, and both women stepped out of the car. Cat was rolling her shoulders, bracing herself, and her chin was held high. Kara grinned proudly at the sight, this was the Cat Grant she knew. She placed a delicate hand to the small of Cat’s back, and asked, “Are we ready?”

Cat blew out a long breath of air, and said, “Yes.”

They walked up the stone pathway to the front door of the enormous building together. After another bracing breath, Cat lifted her hand and knocked on the door. A moment later, the door swung open and a woman in a neatly pressed pantsuit greeted them. Her hair was tied into a neat bun, with strands of silvery grey mixing in with dark brown. She smiled warmly when she saw Cat.

“Cat. It’s nice to see you.” The woman welcomed by lightly gripping Cat’s biceps and giving them a gentle squeeze. Kara was delighted to see a genuine smile spread across Cat’s face as she cupped the woman’s elbows to return the embrace.

“Hello, Caroline. How are you?” 

Caroline smiled deeper, and said, “Oh, you know me. Always moving forward.”

Cat hummed in agreement, and added, “Yes, and always looking on the bright side.”

Caroline chuckled and said, “Ah yes, one of my more annoying traits, as your mother puts it.”

Cat rolled her eyes, and Kara had to fight the urge to do so as well. Cat’s mother was something else entirely. After a moment of Kara standing there awkwardly, watching Cat and this woman she obviously knew well interact, Cat remembered to introduce her.

She released Caroline, and took a step closer to Kara. She reached for Kara, and took hold of the crook of her arm in a slightly stiff movement. “Kara, this is Caroline Brett, she’s my mother’s housekeeper. Caroline, this is Kara Danvers. She’s my girlfriend.”

The way she said the word “girlfriend,” perhaps to someone who didn’t know Cat, could have seemed completely normal. But Kara picked up on the subtle doubt. And judging by the sharply astute look Caroline gave Cat, she didn’t miss it either. But she said nothing. She turned that sharp gaze to Kara, but the warmth she had showed Cat was still abounding.

She reached for Kara’s hand to shake, and clasped it in both of hers, and shook it firmly. “Well, this is a surprise! It is wonderful to meet you, Kara. Truly wonderful.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Kara said, responding to Caroline’s outgoing nature immediately with her own sunny demeanor.

“Now, now, come on inside. Let’s not stand on the front stoop all day.” Caroline said as she ushered them inside. 

After stepping into the house, Kara could see through into the dining room and the salon from the foyer. The large grandfather clock in the foyer chimed noon, as Kara observed the set up in the other rooms. Trays of food were being prepared, numerous small tables were dressed and set elegantly. Champagne flutes were waiting to be filled with no doubt absurdly expensive champagne. 

“Wow, your mother goes all out, doesn’t she?” Kara asked, still taking everything in.

“Yes, well, she’s celebrating her favorite thing. Herself.” Cat muttered under her breath, barely audible. Kara caught it with no trouble, though, of course. It was unusual, to see Cat quiet herself.

Perhaps it ended up being for the best, however, because none other than Cat’s mother swept into the room in the next moment. 

“Kitty, you made it!” She exclaimed, as if she’d given Cat any other option. “And only a few minutes late.”

Kara felt her fingernails digging into the skin of her palm as she clenched her hand into a fist. She watched Cat clench her jaw instead of her fist, and saw the muscles jumping in it with the tension. It had to be hurting her teeth.

“I arrived at precisely twelve o’clock noon, Mother. Like we agreed.” Cat said, voice already straining to contain her frustration. 

“I have 12:09, dear. Maybe for your next birthday, I should buy you a better watch. Mine is never wrong.” Katherine said, leveling Cat with a disinterested but disapproving gaze.

Kara took a step closer to Cat, and hoped her proximity would be of some comfort. In an attempt to at least pretend to sound polite, Kara said, “Actually, Ms. Grant, your own grandfather clock just chimed twelve times, only a moment before you walked in. So, either your wrist watch is wrong, or your grandfather clock is. Either way, your time is wrong.”

Katherine turned her gaze to Kara, and she could see barely suppressed rage flickering in it. Katherine Grant did not like to be challenged, that was apparent. It was also why Kara was deriving so much satisfaction from throwing the awful woman off step. She gave Katherine a smile radiating oblivious innocence, and knew it was driving the woman insane. And even better, Cat was smirking a little next to Kara.

“It’s an antique. It’s never on time.” Katherine said, in a low measured voice. 

“Oh an antique? Huh, you’d think for all the money people spend on antiques they could at least get a clock that tells the right time.” Kara said, still feigning cluelessness to Katherine’s increasing aggravation. 

“Excuse me?” Katherine said, disbelief tempering her now obvious ire. 

“Yeah. I’ve got a fifteen dollar clock from Walmart on my wall at home. It works great. I’m never late to work.” Kara said cheerily. She decided to go for the cherry on top, and maybe get a vein in Katherine’s forehead to bulge. “Have  _ you _ ever been to Walmart, Ms. Grant?”

Kara felt immense pride when Katherine’s face almost went purple, and her eye actually twitched. She was a little disappointed not to get a forehead vein pop. More than anything though, she was proud of the way Cat was now trying to control her snickering, and she seemed to have relaxed a little. From the corner of her eye, Kara saw Caroline staring at her shoes to hide her entertainment, and Kara wondered how this woman ended up working for Katherine Grant.

Clearly offended, Katherine turned her attention back to Cat and said, “Kitty,” even in anger she made sure to use the belittling nickname that Cat hated, “why on  _ earth _ did you bring your inane assistant?”

Cat bristled, and the minor easing of her tension disappeared as her muscles bunched up again. Kara said nothing, this was Cat’s chance to speak up to her mother. Kara sure as hell enjoyed getting a rise out of Katherine, but she had no desire to speak over Cat or treat her as if she couldn’t stand up for herself.

She placed her hand on the small of Cat’s back, again, though. For support, and to sell their story, she told herself; nothing else. Katherine did not miss the movement, and Kara saw her eye twitch again. 

“Mother, you told me to bring someone. Well, I did.” Cat said, holding her chin high and staring defiantly at her mother.

“I told you to bring a date.” Katherine said, and Kara could tell she thought she must have found an angle of attack again, as though she’d regained her footing. The haughtiness was back, and she seemed to calm a little with her perceived high ground.

“Really, Kitty. You couldn’t find one person who would be willing to spend a weekend with you as your date? You had to drag your simple assistant along with you?” Then she stepped forward, smug with false pity, and said, “Did you pay her, Kitty?”

Kara felt her fist clench again, and she had to bite hard on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from giving the woman a piece of her mind. She rubbed Cat’s back ever so slightly with the thumb of her hand that was still placed against her back. Thankfully, Katherine couldn’t see that motion to pick on.

“No, Mother.” Cat said, voice seething, and if Kara thought she was proud of herself before, the pride she felt for Cat in this moment was incredible. She smiled in encouragement to Cat, silently urging her to continue. “No, Mother, I did not pay her. Kara is not my assistant anymore, she  _ is _ my date. She’s my girlfriend. And she is nothing short of extraordinary; I don’t suggest you say anything to the contrary again.”

Kara turned her bright, beaming smile to Katherine, daring her to say anything. Cat’s expression was the smug one now, and Katherine looked ready to blow a gasket.

“You’re dating your  _ assistant? _ ” She hissed. “Are you out of your mind?”

“She is a reporter, Mother. And even if she were still an assistant, it wouldn’t make a difference. We’re incredibly well suited to each other.” Cat said, now looping her own arm around Kara’s waist and pulling her just a little closer. Kara wondered if it was just for show, or if maybe it made Cat feel a little braver. She hoped for the latter.

“Oh, well suited. How romantic. I’m convinced.” Katherine said, rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.

“Well, fortunately, we don’t need to ‘convince’ you.” Cat bit out. 

One of Katherine’s eyebrows rose in disbelief. Rarely was she speechless, but Cat knew how to take an opportunity when it arose.

“Very well, Mother, if that is all, we’re tired from our drive. I’ll show the both of us to the guest room.” Cat declared in a tone of finality. She picked up her overnight bag, and Kara did the same with her own.

She gave another obnoxiously cheery smile to Cat’s mother, and they brushed past her. Caroline followed after them, saying, “I’ll come help you get set up.”

Katherine stood alone in the foyer, still fuming. And Cat, with her back to her mother walked forward with murder on her face. The weekend was no doubt going to be long.

* * *

 

Kara shoved another hors d'oeuvre in her mouth. She’d been trying to be sneaky about it, Cat didn’t need the stress of the weekend compounded by Kara accidentally revealing her alien metabolism. It was tricky though. All of the food was pretentious and funny tasting, and served in ridiculously tiny portions. And what the hell was watercress?

It didn’t count as food in Kara’s book. It was right up there with the vegan ice cream Maggie made Alex try sometimes. Kara shuddered at the thought. She popped another one of the snooty amuse bouches into her mouth, and scrunched up her nose. What was wrong with pigs in a blanket and potstickers? 

She wasn’t looking forward to whatever rich people food Katherine had ordered for the main course. They would be sitting down to dinner in the large dining room any time now, and Kara was trying to appease her stomach with the least weird options she could find. She wasn’t having much luck though, but at least her stomach might as well have been made of iron. Or rather steel. So even if the teeny appetizers tasted gross, it wouldn’t upset her digestion.

Cat approached her, her face stormy as she clutched another glass of champagne. Kara had been counting. This was her sixth glass. She took a healthy swig from it, and Kara watched in concern.

“Sexist pigs.” Cat spit out, and Kara could only assume she was referring to the two men she had been conversing with moments ago.

She placed a hand on Cat’s bicep, the one on the arm raising the drink to her lips for another sip, and murmured low enough that only they could hear, “Hey, maybe you should make this your last one? You haven’t eaten yet, I don’t want you to feel sick tomorrow.”

Cat narrowed her eyes at Kara, but there was a fondness to her gaze. She considered Kara’s words for a moment, and Kara thought she might protest at first. But Cat was ever a sensible woman, so she nodded her head and handed Kara the mostly empty champagne flute. Kara put it on the table next to them to be forgotten about.

She didn’t want to treat Cat like a child; she was a grown woman who was fully capable of monitoring her own alcohol consumption. Still, Kara worried. She knew Cat was upset, stressed, and that she was likely hoping that getting tipsy would make her mother easier to deal with. Katherine was certainly a woman who would drive people to drink. It wasn’t the healthiest coping mechanism, but Cat seemed to be handling herself well all things considered.

Kara could never really shut down her impulse to help though, and part of that meant taking care of Cat tonight. This weekend. That’s how she decided her next mission was to get a proper meal into Cat’s system to hopefully soak up some of the alcohol she’d drunk.

“Do you know when dinner is, Cat?” Kara asked. She had moved her hand from Cat’s bicep to between her shoulder blades, and she was rubbing little circles there. Cat seemed to be enjoying it, because she looked at Kara in contentment. Or maybe it was all the champagne, Kara reasoned. That would make more sense.

“Soon, I imagine.” Cat replied, and she leaned a little closer to Kara. Whether she realized she was doing it or not, Kara didn’t know.

Just then, a soft voice entered the little bubble they’d created around themselves unintentionally. Both women looked to see Caroline had come over to them, and said, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Cat asked in bemusement.

“I doubted you before. When you said you two were a couple. I just thought, well you seemed so uncomfortable, I thought you were lying to appease your mother.” Caroline explained.

“Ah.” Cat said and didn’t comment further.

“What changed your mind?” Kara asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

“Seeing you two together. I can tell how much you love each other.” Caroline said, and Kara did her best to smile without looking pained. She knew how much she loved Cat, she was sure it showed. She’d always worn her emotions on her sleeve. But she knew Cat didn’t love her, and her heart squeezed at the reminder.

There was nothing she could say though, nothing either of them could say. So Kara whispered a quiet, “Thank you.” 

Cat was watching Caroline sharply, with something unreadable in her expression. But she dipped her chin to acknowledge Caroline’s words and smiled. Just then one of the waiters from the catering company Katherine had hired announced that dinner was being served in the main dining room.


	3. Chapter Three

As Kara had predicted, dinner was just as unappetizing as the hors d’ouevres. It was a fish dish, baked in some almost tasteless fashion. And it was whole when presented, with the eye still in it. Kara had looked to Cat in horror, and Cat had grimaced at her to apologize. She had no problem with fish prepared in such a manner, but she could understand Kara’s squeamishness. What she had really wished was that the fish had had any flavor at all.

Kara was unfailingly polite, of course though. Cat had given her subtle clues how to properly approach eating the fish the way it was presented. She had felt an almost giddy warmth when Kara had smiled at her with excitement when she did it without embarrassing herself. Cat had blamed it on the champagne in her system making her feel as light and bubbly as the drink itself.

Now, as they were getting ready for bed, Cat was confronted with a problem she knew she’d have to face, but had put off trying to figure out. The sleeping arrangements. She and Kara were sharing a room, and probably a bed, seeing as how there was only one in the room. Anything else and her mother would have suspected. 

Kara emerged from the ensuite bathroom. Her face was scrubbed clean, and she was wearing pajama pants with doughnuts on them. Cat chuckled, and found that giddy feeling bubbling up in her again.  _ Of course _ , Kara wore pajama pants with doughnuts. Cat didn’t know why she would have expected anything else.

“Thank you.” She found herself saying. Kara looked at her and quirked her head in confusion, reminding Cat a little of a puppy dog. “For the way you handled my mother today.”

Kara smiled at her so sunnily Cat felt warm all the way to her toes. “I don’t think anyone’s ever spoken to her that way.” Cat added.

“Hm. Well, she could use someone telling her off more often I think.” Kara said.

Her stomach rumbled loudly in the next instant, interrupting Cat’s train of thought. Covering her belly in embarrassment, Kara apologized.

“Don’t apologize. I should have realized you’d still be hungry, you didn’t eat much of the fish.” Cat said, annoyed with herself now for not thinking to get Kara more food before.

“No, I’m okay. I just eat a lot usually.” Kara explained, looking very uncomfortable to be put on the spot. 

“Grab your coat.” Cat said suddenly.

“What?” Kara asked, tracking Cat’s movement with her eyes and looking at her in shock.

“Your coat. We’re going to get pizza.” Cat said as she pulled her own jacket on.

“I’m in my doughnut pants.” Kara squeaked, gesturing to her pajamas.

Cat shrugged and tossed Kara’s jacket to her. “We’re going to a pizza parlor across town at 11:30 at night. They won’t mind your doughnut pants.”

Kara looked at her skeptically, but began pulling her jacket on. She wasn’t going to pretend she wouldn’t fight a white martian for a large cheesy pizza right now. 

“Besides,” Cat said, continuing, “They’re cute.”

With her back turned to Kara as she was reaching for the door when the words slipped out, her face froze in panic for a second. Where had that come from? Why was that giddy feeling magnified tenfold and fluttering in her stomach rampantly? 

She didn’t turn around and find out what Kara’s reaction was. She just pushed the door open, and she and Kara made their way down the hallway towards the stairs and the front door. 

Later that night, when they returned stuffed to the heart’s- and stomach’s- content on delicious cheese pizza, Cat found she was too tired, too full, and still a little too tipsy to really care about the sleeping arrangements. She crawled into the bed as soon as she’d put her own pajamas on, and fallen asleep not long after she felt the mattress dip on the other side as Kara had climbed beneath the covers as well.

Kara however, was still wide awake. She stared at the ceiling, counting the stroke marks in the paint. Cat breathed soundly beside her, no doubt sleeping deeply. Kara was acutely aware of every nerve in her body, and how close she was to Cat but still impossibly far away. She wished so much that she could bridge the space between them and hold Cat close to her. Obviously that wasn’t an option, so she instead lay tensely in the bed, squirming occasionally. Long hours into the night, she finally managed to fall asleep, loving and hating feeling Cat’s presence next to her.

* * *

 

Kara took another sip of the merlot in her hand. It was pretty good, and she was enjoying the vineyard to be honest. Especially because they gave out free food with the wine. Good food, still snooty, but at least it tasted good. Instead of ingredients Kara had never heard of, if was mostly just expensive cheeses, breads, and salamis. That she could get behind no problem.

She happily popped another piece of sharp cheddar cheese into her mouth. Unfortunately, it was one of the few moments of the weekend where Cat had had to leave her to her own devices for a time. Kara was doing her job as a buffer, and she hoped she was doing it well. Overall, Cat seemed to be doing okay. She was still stressed, of course. But Kara found she was able to get a smile out of her every time she set out to. 

She’d been using their fake relationship as a reason to show Cat little gestures of physical affection. After she’d realized that she’d been a little more touch focused this weekend than usual, she’d asked Cat if it was okay, or if she was bothering her. Kara had no desire to cross any boundaries. Cat had responded with her own light touch; a soft, swift squeeze to Kara’s hand; and told Kara she was in no way upset with the little gestures. In fact, she’d been finding them comforting. 

So, Kara had been finding ways to brush her fingertips against the back of Cat’s hand, rest her palm on the small of Cat’s back, rub her bicep up and down in a soothing manner. Usually when Cat’s mother was speaking to her, to help ground Cat and remind her that Kara was on her side. 

Kara was enjoying the little touches too. But she was getting a little concerned as well. Things in her head were getting jumbled, and she found she had to continually remind herself that this was fake. It was only for this weekend, and it wasn’t real. Every time she did remind herself of this, she felt her gut twist into another knot.

Sighing heavily, she took another sip of her merlot. She couldn’t get drunk, so she’d been able to taste quite a few of the wines offered. Some of the other guests, including members of Katherine’s party, were beginning to look at her in a cross between being mildly horrified and impressed.

It was an entertaining way for Kara to pass the time. These people weren’t just nasty gossips, they were dull as dirt, as Kara had found out from some conversations that had almost put her to sleep. It was why she was hanging out by the food, it was much better company.

A woman who worked at the winery came by and placed a fresh tray of snacks on a table and Kara thanked her enthusiastically. The girl watched Kara begin to eat more salami, and there was the look of amazed horror again. Kara just winked at her with cheeks stuffed with cured meat and cheese.

The woman blushed deeply, and looked to her shoes, but Kara saw the glimmer of excitement in her eyes. Kara chuckled a little, and wondered if she hadn’t been so in love with Cat if she might ask this woman out. Judging by the way she’d had her eyes on Kara all afternoon, and her reaction to Kara’s not even flirtatious wink, she’d probably have agreed to go out with Kara.

At that moment, Kara heard the sound of stilettos clacking on the patio tile approaching her. Two pairs. She turned around and saw both Cat and Katherine stalking towards her. Cat was fuming, and Katherine was grinning in that way she did when she knew she’d gotten under Cat’s skin.

When they reached Kara, Cat said without preamble, “Mother still doesn’t believe that we’re a couple.”

Kara turned to Katherine and gave her a saccharine smile, the very same one that she knew had been irritating the woman all weekend. Truthfully, she didn’t like being petty but she was happy to do anything to help Cat. And throwing her mother off balance had been very helpful in that endeavor.

“Ms. Grant, I’m so crushed to hear you say that.” Kara said, laying it on thick. “Why would Cat and I fake our relationship?”

“Because Cat couldn’t find anyone to be her date this weekend, and she was desperate to save face in front of me, of course.” Katherine replied, crossing her arms.

“I’m sure you’d see right through that, wouldn’t you though?” Kara asked, knowing she could use Katherine’s hubris against her.

“Well, precisely. That’s why I’m calling you on it.” She said, sniffing in disdain.

“Mother, you aren’t calling us on anything. You’re just being contrary for contrary’s sake.” Cat said, and Kara beamed at Cat. She loved watching Cat find the strength to assert herself in front of her mother.

“Fine, then prove it.” Katherine said, clearly convinced she’d gotten the upper hand now.

“Prove it?” Cat sputtered, deeply offended on behalf of her fake relationship. 

“Yes.” Katherine said simply. “I’ve been watching you two since yesterday.” 

“Because that’s not creepy.” Cat interjected.

Katherine ignored her, and continued. “You act affectionate sure, but I haven’t seen you kiss once. Not even when you think no one else in the room is paying attention to you.”

“Evidently _you_ were.” Kara said, eyes narrowing.

Katherine said nothing, she just watched Cat and Kara expectantly. Cat sighed, and turned to Kara. “You don’t have to do this.” Cat said, reminding Kara of her earlier words in Cat’s office when she’d asked Kara to come in the first place.

“I want to.” Kara said, repeating her own words. Something flickered across Cat’s expression, but it was gone before Kara could name it.

Cat nodded, and pulled Kara a little closer. Even in her heels, she was still just a bit shorter than Kara, and so she leaned up. Kara closed her eyes, and in the next breath she felt Cat’s lips against hers. The kiss was soft, and slow, and Kara wished she could pretend there was no emotion to it, that she felt nothing. But her heart hammered in her chest, and her lips tingled even after Cat pulled away. 

She heard Cat saying to her mother, “There, are you happy?” And Kara was sure she only imagined the breathless quality to Cat’s voice.

She heard Katherine say, “No, I am not. You’re dating an assistant.”

Kara saw Cat’s arms fly up in an emphatic gesture of frustration, and she felt like tears were going to well in her eyes any moment. She mumbled an excuse about needing to get a glass of water, and quickly fled the scene.

The rest of the day had been awkward, with Cat studiously ignoring the awkward tension, and Katherine repeatedly making digs at Kara’s lowly station in life, unworthy of Cat Grant. When the day was finally over, and Kara and Cat were staring at the queen sized bed once again, the tension still hadn’t dissipated. 

Cat huffed, and refused to acknowledge it. She pulled the covers back and slid into the bed. After a moment of deliberation, Kara did the same. There was a large gap between them though, and it felt about a mile wide.

Finally, Cat said something to address what had been on their minds all day. “Why did you run?”

“Excuse me?” Kara asked.

“After we kissed. You practically flew out of there.” Cat said.

Kara looked as though she would have done a spit take if she had been drinking right then. “Fly? Don’t- don’t be ridiculous, I can’t  _ fly _ , Cat.”

Cat rolled her eyes, and decided to leave that for another discussion. “Whatever you want to call it, Kara.” After a moment of silence, and then in a small voice, Cat asked, “Was it that bad?”

More stammered ramblings tumbled from Kara’s mouth, and Cat huffed again. “Fine, if it was that awful don’t tell me.”

“No!” Kara insisted vehemently, shaking her head. “Cat, it was the furthest thing from awful.”

Cat measured Kara with a prolonged glance. That fluttering was wreaking havoc on her stomach again. Only, now, she was pretty sure she had figured out why. It had become very clear to her, when she had kissed Kara earlier. The way her body responded, the way her heart had pounded and all she had wanted was to pull Kara in for another, deeper kiss- it was hard to misinterpret. And if she wasn’t mistaken, Kara might have wanted that too. 

Kara’s eyes flicked down to Cat’s lips, and Cat was sure then. She leaned close to Kara, brought her lips so close to Kara’s, but didn’t move any closer. She left an inch of space between them, giving Kara the chance to press their lips together, or pull away.

She gasped in the next breath when she felt Kara’s lips on hers. This kiss was much deeper, with Kara’s tongue sliding over Cat’s bottom lip and soon after slipping into her mouth. Cat moaned into the kiss, and reveled in the feeling of it. She wasn’t sure how long this kiss lasted, though definitely longer than their first. And definitely not long enough, she still wanted more.

She pulled Kara to her again not long after they parted, and this time Kara crawled on top of Cat, resting her weight on the woman but holding herself up on her elbows as well. The feel of Kara’s muscular body on top of hers was enough to make Cat question how she ever could have missed the way she felt about Kara.

After long, breathless kisses, Kara finally spoke again. “I thought I was just a placeholder. Just anyone.”

“Never.” Cat said immediately, words full of conviction. “Never, you could never be just anybody Kara. And the truth of the matter is I asked you here with me, not just because I needed a last minute date, and not just because you're a friend. You make me feel at ease. And you bring out the best in me. And now I know why.”

Kara nodded, and for a moment she tucked her face into the crook of Cat’s neck, too overwhelmed to say anything or look anywhere. Cat rubbed her back in circles, the same way Kara had been doing for her in tough moments this weekend. Soon, she felt kisses being pressed to her neck, her pulse point, her jaw, and then she was looking into Kara’s eyes again. She’d never seen them this close, and she’d never noticed the little green patch in her left iris among the blue.

She stroked Kara’s cheeks with her thumbs, and felt a tear land on her cheek from Kara’s eyes. “You don’t mind then? That I love you?” Kara whispered.

“No, I don’t mind.” Cat said. “In fact, I think I’ve loved you for a long time too Kara.”

Kara nodded, and then they were kissing again. 

* * *

 

Cat sipped at her coffee as she watched the sunlight stream through the bedroom window. Just one more afternoon, and then she could drive away and hopefully go a long time without talking to her mother. With her legs tucked up on the chair she sat on, she looked out the window and watched the birds hopping around in the grass. She turned to look to where Kara still slept, and blinked in surprise at what she saw. Kara was hovering a few feet above the mattress, drifting back and forth to the side now and then. Cat couldn’t do anything but laugh. She didn’t know when Kara was going to admit her secret to her, but she had no idea how this girl maintained her separate identities. 

She took another sip of her coffee, and looked back out the window. She and Kara had a lot to discuss when they got back to National City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The line at the end of this fic, "You don't mind then? That I love you?" was inspired by "so does this make us both the other woman?" a Swan Queen fic by @coalitiongirl. "I love you, Regina. Is that okay?" It's a long, angsty, slow burn- beautifully written. It is one of my favorite fics, and is well worth a read. This line always stuck with me, it's just so heart wrenching and perfect. I recommend reading this fic.


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